Greek Semolina Halva

This is a mixture of fine and course semolina, toasted, then mixed with a flavoured sweet liquor and then cooked and cooled until it sets.

5 from 1 vote

Course Dessert

Cuisine Greek

Servings slices

100 g olive oil extra virgin
150 g wholemeal semolina organic is best - use either coarse or fine or a mix of both.
100 g muscovado sugar this is nearly half the original sugar!
750 g water or almond milk can be half milk, half water could use soya or oat milk
35 g black raisins
25 g flaked almonds must be flaked - whole ones won't work
25 g chopped walnuts
10 g pine nuts optional ingredient
25 g chopped dates optional ingredient
2 whole lemon peels cut into strips - use the juice for hummus
2 whole organge peel cut into strips use the juice for the sauce.
1 whole cinnamon sticks
1 teasp ground cinnamon
2 whole star anise
25 ml cointreau a very optional ingredient!

Pour the olive oil into a largeish pan on a medium heat
Add in the 2 different grades of semolina and stir well.
Cook until slightly browned, but don't let it burn. 5 to 10 minutes.
In another pan at the same time add the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, lemon and orange peels.
Add in the water/milk and bring the mixture to the boil and simmer gently for around 10 minutes while the semolina toasts
Strain the liquor from the water & spice mixture into a large jug or other container.
Turn off the heat on the toasting semolina and add the nuts, raisins, (& dates if you're using them) to the semolina and stir the mixture to distribute them evenly.
Allow the pan with the semolina to cool briefly (30 seconds or so) before pouring in the strained liquor that you have created in the other pan/jug. This is so it's not too volatile.
Add the liquid gradually, stirring all the time. Watch out for it errupting if you add too much too quickly.
Turn the heat back on and continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.
Take if off the heat and pour it into a large enough heat proof mould. Pyrex is best, but any rectangular shaped dish should do.
Allow to cool and firm up, and then loosen with a knife and turn it out onto a serving dish or tray.
Heat the apricot jam in the microwave and mash with a fork so it's smooth.
Brush the top with the jam and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts and maybe some finely chopped dates.

pour the orange juice into a small saucepan
add in the corn starch and palm sugar, and combine
stir as you heat - making sure there are no lumps.
bring to the boil, and simmer gently until the sauce is thick enough - a nice runny but syrupy consistency.
add the vegan margarine and whisk until combined well.
Serve warm with an orange thickened sauce or cream or ice-cream

I've realized that as I was testing a half batch, just to get all the ratios right, in fact the recipe as listed would make far too much. I've therefore amended the recipe to make enough for 12 reasonable slices.
I've also changed my reccomendation to cut two thin slices - it's just too tricky due the relatively fragile nature of the dessert.
I've added an optional ingredient of cointreau, which I think makes it a little more decadent - but it's entirely optional.
I like to use a pyrex loaf mould, but anything that will hold the quantity of semi-liquid halva is fine.
Medium and coarse semolina can be hard to find. I've managed to find a wholemeal medium semolina in my local wholefood shop, and I would recommend just using that.

Keyword dates, almonds, semolina, orange peel, nuts, raisins

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